Female Genital Mutilation in Egypt, Its a big deal!

The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) has an interesting article on the controversy raging in Egypt about Female Genital Mutilation.

Here's a discription of FGM from the article "The practice involves the excision of the external genitalia, most often the clitoris."

And this little tidbit: "According to demographic surveys conducted in Egypt in 1995 and 2001, 97 percent of married women of childbearing age had been circumcised."

And this: "The Prophet [Muhammad] commanded women to perform circumcision using the expression, 'Perform circumcision for girls.'" This phrase, he says, includes a clear endorsement of circumcision under specific circumstances, while understanding the difficulty and complexity of the issue regarding girls: "Removing the entire organ that causes the woman pleasure clearly contradicts the pure Sunna [tradition of the Prophet], because this is likely to cause disease and emotional complications to girls, and thus prevent them from realizing their natural rights. Conversely, not performing the circumcision is likely [to] cause girls infections and sometimes even diseases."

Apparently there is quite a to and fro about it. Here are some paragraph headers:

"First Lady Suzanne Mubarak: 'Women's Humanity Must No Longer be Forfeit'"

"Former Al-Azhar Sheikh: 'Nothing Religious, Moral, or Medical Requires Circumcising Girls'"

"Possible Actions Against the Practice of Circumcising Girls"

"The Islamists – Proponents of Circumcising Girls: 'Circumcision is the Merit of Girls'"

"Dr. Ahmad Suleiman of Cairo University: 'Circumcising a Girl Brings Modesty, Honor, and Emotional Balance'"

"Circumcising Girls Prevents AIDS and Prostitution"

"The Attempt to Prevent Circumcising Girls is a Western Conspiracy"

"Circumcising Girls Prevents Unnatural Sexual Pleasure"

"The Religious Establishment – No Definitive Stand"

Read the whole thing: MEMRI.org

Why We are in Iraq.

While the reasons we went into Iraq were, first and foremost, to assure our own safety, (and that is also the reason we are not in Sudan's Darfur region, in Mynamar, North Korea, China, Congo, etc,) saving the Iraqis from the murderous tyranny of Saddam, and giving them the opportunity to determine their own destiny has turned out to be a good and noble thing all by itself.

It is on par with rescuing a person from a mob, or from a burning building at great personal risk to yourself. That is why people admire and respect firefighters and cops. And for that same reason firefighters and cops are accorded higher respect when they are killed in the line of duty.


Our soldiers are doing a grand and noble thing in Iraq. We should not forget that. We also should accord them the respect and reverence they are due instead of using them for propaganda purposes, like some people.

Remember, they are drawing in and fighting the terrorists over there so we won't have to fight them over here.

gowain

The 500th Day of Iraqi Freedom

September 3, 2004

On the 500th day of Iraqi freedom:

The total number of Iraqis who are alive, and have not been murdered, or killed by Saddam's criminal neglegience, since the invasion is 103,200.

The number of new mass graves have been dug, then filled with Iraqi victims since we toppled Saddam is zero.

As of midnight September 3, 2004 the deaths attributable to Saddam had been stopped for 500 days and no new mass graves have been dug.

Only two of the many things our soldiers gave their lives to accomplish!

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Background:

Saddam Hussien became "President" of Iraq in 1979. The Coalition invaded Iraq March 22, 2003.

This makes his total time in power equal 23 years , 2 months, 22 days. Or 8,477 days.
The conservative estimate of the number of Iraqis murdered by Saddam's regime and placed in mass graves is 400,000.

The number of Iraqi civilians who starved to death, or died from lack of proper medical care while Saddam spent Oil-for-Food money, and sold medical supplies to get money for palaces and weapons adds another 1,350,000 for a total of 1,750,000.

Assuming that the murders and deaths attributable to Saddam stopped when the invasion started that would make Saddam's average number of Iraqis killed per day to be 206.4

gowain

A Question About Saddam's Mass Graves

Question: How many mass graves have been dug and filled with Iraqi victims since the Coalition invaded Iraq?

Hint: The answer rhymes with Hero.